Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat a host of conditions, including liver tumors, endometriosis, abnormal heart rhythms and chronic back pain. A special radiofrequency, or RF, probe is used to channel an electric current into the offending tissues and destroy them. Complications of this procedure depend on several factors, including prior health status, age and reason for the ablation.
Infection
Any invasive medical procedure carries the risk of infection. All ablations, whether to treat cancer or the heart, are performed by inserting a small RF catheter through the skin and into tissues. Usually the infection is contained locally at the insertion site of the catheter. In rare instances, however, severe systemic infection may occur with liver tumor ablation when the peritoneal fluid, or abdominal cavity fluid, becomes infected, according to the journal "Radiology."
Bleeding
RF uses an electrical current to heat up and destroy tissues, which will also cauterize, or heat-seal, the site. In coronary ablation, the risk of bleeding could lead to a life-threatening condition called coronary tamponade, where the heart capsule fills with blood and cannot effectively pump, notes the "American Heart Association Journal." During liver tumor ablation, the surrounding tissues, including the gallbladder and intestines, are at risk for puncture and bleeding. "Radiology" journal states that in rare cases tumor rupture can occur, leading to excessive internal bleeding.
Post-Ablation Syndrome
Not clearly defined, some research points to flu symptoms suffered after the ablation procedure, called post-ablation syndrome, which elicits feelings of general illness, notes RadiologyInfo.org. This discomfort can last for weeks following the RF. For female reproductive ablations, the NYU Medical Center defines this syndrome as the result of uterine scarring resulting in sporadic pains in the abdomen.
Organ Damage
Damage to proximal organs is another possible complication of RF, especially during liver ablation. These organs include the gallbladder, intestines and other healthy portions of the liver. A puncture in the intestines can be life-threatening unless it is corrected immediately, as intestinal bacteria and fluids will cause a massive infection in the abdomen known as peritonitis.
References
- Heart Rhythm Society: Cardiac Ablation
- Radiology Info: Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Tumors
- "Radiology": Treatment of Focal Liver Tumors with Percutaneous Radio-frequency Ablation--Complications Encountered in a Multicenter Study
- "American Heart Association Journal": Catheter Ablation of Cardiac Arrythmias
- NYU Medical Center: PelvicPainCenter Glossary---Post Ablation Syndrome
